We are urging all Sheffield residents to write to their MPs and insist that their elected representatives visit the camp and listen to Sahar and Lena. Their absence on an issue that has clearly got so much local support is neglectful at best and complicity with genocide at worst.
Some councillors have visited notable the head of the Green Party and some Labour councillors.
You can find a template letter as pdf here and as rtf here
A busy day at the camp with constant stream of visitors.
A lovely visit from Sheffield Families for Gaza who set up an Arabic writing workshop, and , one of the highlights, was Tadhamon choir coming to sing, prompting Sahar to do some much loved dabke
We also had group visit from Sheffield councillors and two Church of England priests. All listened hard to both Lena and Sahar and showed support for their stance.
We need Sheffield council to look at the lack of humanity in Gaza just now, the genocide perpetrated by the Israeli state and lack of food and shelter. This is the key symbolism of this camp.
Late Sunday night the camp was pleased to welcome visitors from Rotherham and do a short workout as Lena prepares to start her hunger strike on Monday.
A massive show of support for the camp as Sheffield Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid marched through the city centre to join the camp.
This support is wider than in Sheffield of course and we are pleased to have had a message from Jeremy Corbyn’ s office:
My greetings, admiration and solidarity. The ethnic cleansing of Gaza must stop, a ceasefire is needed NOW, an end to the occupation and justice for the refugees. The camp is in the great traditions of Sheffield’s international solidarity with oppressed people.
Friday January 5th the camp has been set up.
There has been overwhelming support from visitors and messages of support from afar.
In particular we received a visit from supporters from Rotherham Friends of Palestine Group and Cllr Taiba Yasseen
We had very kind offers of food so much so that we are getting overwhelmed now. So while we recognise people would like to do what they can, please do not bring more food!
However, your presence by a short visit or union delegation especially would be very welcome.
You can also donate to Sheffield Palestine Solidarity’s emergency relief fund for gifts from Sheffield of food parcels, warm clothing for families in Gaza is very welcomed. Please see this web page for how to do that https://www.sheffieldpsc.org.uk/?p=3153
From 5th January to 13th January 2024 please visit and support the Justice Now Camp in front of the Town Hall.
Horrified by the complicity of the UK government and silence form MPs and councillors, in spite of the ceasefire motion passed some weeks ago, Palestinian women in Sheffield , supported by Sheffield Coalition against Israeli Apartheid, will be demanding action and camping outside the town hall.
We demand:
1/ Sheffield council to declare Sheffield an Israeli Apartheid Free Zone
2/ That the UK government investigate British citizens who have joined the Israeli Defence Force and bring criminal charges and cease it’s support for the Israeli army
3/ There is an immediate ceasefire , an end to the occupation, and a just political solution based on an end to discriminatory apartheid policies, settler-colonialism and ethnic cleansing.
You can read why the camp has been set up here and you can see updates about the camp here
Israel has killed over 20,000 Palestinians in its brutal assault on Gaza. We can’t stop putting pressure on our government to call for a full Ceasefire NOW and an end to the siege of Gaza. We need to ramp up the pressure and increase our numbers.
Please join us in London on Saturday 13th January 2024. It has never been more important to stand with Palestine.
Get tickets for the national demo coach to London from Sheffield
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/palestinesolidaritycampaign/1097537
Saturday 6th January, 2.30pm, Showroom Cinema
Cinema Palestino is showing the 9-award-winning documentary “beautiful portrait of everyday life in Gaza” in 2019 (before the current raging and outrageous ethnic cleansing and genocide) :
GAZA 92mins, followed by a Q&A with Musheir El-Farra
To book and see the the trailer – https://www.showroomworkstation.org.uk/gazadiscussion
January 6th at 6.00 Christ Church Pitsmoor, S3 9AQ
Gather together on the Feast of the Epiphany to sit with our crib scene on it’s last day in Church, and take time to listen to the voice of Palestine, as spoken by Revd. Munther Isaac. Light a candle. Hold the Palestinian people in thoughts or prayers.
While the gathering will be in a Pitsmoor Church listening to words recorded in a Bethlehem one, we see the event as open to people of all faiths and none. The cause at this time is just this one small way to ensure we listen, one small gathering to show our solidarity.
Bring your flags.
See below for the timetable of the #ceasefirenow camp
Please encourage your friends and comrades to come and share the image on the left on insta
More about the camp and our demands can be found here
| 6pm | Meditiation | Short silent meditation on peace |
| 7pm | Palestinian poems | Poetry reading in Arabic and English |
| 8pm | Food | Please bring some food to share |
| 9pm | Procession | Getting noisy now – procession round the park |
| 10pm | Messages from Palestine | Readings of messages from Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank |
| 11pm | Palestinian song | Come and learn a Palestinian song and sing with us |
| Midnight | Palestinian dance | Dance dabke with us and celebrate Palestinian resistance |
A group of Sheffield residents from different backgrounds – Palestinian, British, secular as well as observant, Jewish, Muslim and Christian – and will be setting up a #ceasefirenow camp at the top of Turner Hill in Meersbrook Park from 6pm on New Year’s Eve to half past midnight.
It is to remind everyone, on this new year, that, while we are wishing each other a happy, peaceful and healthy twelve months ahead, the people of Gaza are undergoing a genocide at the hands of the Israeli State; it is criminal to remain silent in the face of this.
Please pay a visit, bring candles of hope, a spirit of peace and a deep passion for justice for Palestinian people. There will be short (10-15 minute) mini-events on each hour between 6 and midnight.
We will start off with a quiet meditation and reflection and we will end with the power and passion of dabke dancing to launch our resistance to the genocide in the new year.
In between we will have Palestinian poems and singing. A full timetable will be available on our facebook and here on new years eve.
Please come and join in all or any of these events.
We are demanding:
Sheffield Ceasefire Now Camp
